? 04/18 Ivana - Questions re OTJ feeding schedule

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Tara & Ivana (GA)

Tara & Ivana (GA)

Member Since 2015
Last post 16th April

I assume this is still the right place for me to ask questions. So Ivana gets four small meals per day. At the moment, we feed her breakfast and dinner manually, and lunch and midnight snack get put in the auto-feeder to open at +5 and then close at +10 (for 2hrs before her shot). Now that she's not getting shots or tested twice daily, we don't need to worry about pulling the food up for 2 hrs before the next meal, do we? (It seems an obvious answer but I don't want to assume anything!) Also, can we be a bit flexible on the timing? Ie. she has been getting breakfast and dinner at pretty much exactly 6am/pm with her shot, but if we're a bit early or late now it won't matter so much as long as she still get the four small meals at relatively even times through the day, right?
 
The idea is just small, frequent meals to avoid a big load on his pancreas at one time. I think within that guideline, you can interpret it as you want and figure out what works for you and Ivana. Some cats will graze so food is left out. Others get meals similar to what they had when on insulin. It's up to you.
 
I've pretty much kept Furball on the same feeding schedule and not worried if I get a little bit off. My vet suggested it is a good idea to test at the same time each time I test. I think the numbers can still be influenced by food. If you get a higher number, make sure she hasn't eaten the next time you test. You can always do what you did during the OTJ trial too, test a couple of hours after a higher number (in case she eats something before you test) and see if she comes down.
 
Yeah we're planning to keep Ivana on approximately the same schedule, because she is a creature of habit. But heck, I want to sleep in sometimes too, especially now it's much darker in the mornings for us - very hard to get out of bed at stupid-o'clock!
 
It's crazy to have to get up really early, but I have to get up for work anyway. It won't hurt if you move her schedule some so you can sleep.
 
Tara & Ivana said:
Yeah we're planning to keep Ivana on approximately the same schedule, because she is a creature of habit. But heck, I want to sleep in sometimes too, especially now it's much darker in the mornings for us - very hard to get out of bed at stupid-o'clock!
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You might want to run that "sleeping in sometimes" plan by Miss Ivana first - she might have a lot to say about delayed breakfast service. ;)
 
Tara & Ivana said:
Thanks Julie! I assume when we do the weekly test we need to do what we've been doing so far and no food for 2 hrs beforehand.
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I'd probably keep doing that. On the Tight Reg sticky under remission, there is a link to a study that showed that many diabetic cats remained impaired in their ability to handle glucose while they were in remission. In other words, carbs could still raise their blood sugar, even while off of insulin.
 
julie & punkin (ga) said:
In other words, carbs could still raise their blood sugar, even while off of insulin.
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This makes me really nervous about only testing weekly :nailbiting: Or maybe I'm just still having meter withdrawals! In any case, I think we'll keep testing weekly forever even though the instructions say weekly for a month then monthly, just because Ivana snapped into regulation and remission so quickly, I'm nervous she could snap out of it just as quickly.
 
It's been about 7+ months since Coral went OTJ. She is feed four times a day and the DH takes the first shift at about 8:30 AM PST. We're retired and I am the night person and he is the early morning riser so this gives me some sleep in time. It is also very cute to hear him with the girls begging the "choir" to sing for their early morning meal. They get another meal around 12:30 PM and then again at 4:30 PM. Their evening meal is at 8:30 PM. I haven't noticed much of a difference in her blood glucose tests. I continue to test, first twice a day on Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays and now just once a day on Mondays or Tuesdays rather than go to a once a month schedule. I look for signs, her eyes, demeanor, energy, weight, appy, what's in the litter box to determine if all is well. When our schedule changes I try to keep their schedule as close as possible with friends help to come in to feed or feeding just a little off schedule. When we have gone out of town and the girls stay at the kennel they feed the girls three times a day and this does not seem to affect Coral's BG levels. I've tried to be positive and take each day at a time. I am determined to just love Coral and take care of her for as long as she is with us and not worry if she slips out of remission. Knowing that the FDMB is available is a big comfort that I will have the support I need to care for my girl, Coral. Congratulations to you, Kathe and Coral Meow!
 
Tara & Ivana said:
This makes me really nervous about only testing weekly :nailbiting: Or maybe I'm just still having meter withdrawals! In any case, I think we'll keep testing weekly forever even though the instructions say weekly for a month then monthly, just because Ivana snapped into regulation and remission so quickly, I'm nervous she could snap out of it just as quickly.
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I am certain that I would do the same thing Tara! Just as one doesn't need a vet's permission to do home testing, you don't need permission to test as much as you want either!
 
Woodsywife said:
Can you set the feeder for her breakfast?
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Yep I could, though not sure she'd actually realise it was there because it's been our routine for the 15 yrs we've had her that we get up and feed her breakfast first thing. It would only be and hour or so later if we slept in anyway, she'd probably yell at us to get up if we tried to stay in bed any longer ;)
 
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